Snowstorms in August
by speed killz
Summary: A mysterious mage is hell-bent on destroying every powerful mage in existence, intent on rewriting the history books. Faced with being eliminated from the history of the magical world, Negi and his friends must band together to fight an absolute evil-no matter the cost, no matter what it takes. Even if it means getting help from his grandchild, Touta Konoe.
1. Chapter 1

Hello all! I come to you with a new project, alongside the many I already have on the go, and I hope you will find much enjoyment in it. This is a twin storied project, and will simultaneously take place in two fandoms. This one is born in the Negima! universe, and is called "Snowstorms in August".

For those of you unaware, the author of Negima!, Ken Akamatsu, has begun (quite a while ago, now) a sequel of sorts, called UQ Holder!. Definitely check it out, you won't be disappointed. The twin fic that this one supplements will be called "Chasing Snowstorms", and will be uploaded in the UQ Holder! subsection. It may or may not contain spoilers for the manga, so it's definitely worth checking out. Thanks for taking the time to read! Also, both of these fics are non-canon, and are not set in any particular timeline. Without further ado, I present the first chapter of 'Snowstorms in August'.

 _Snowstorms in August_

 _Chapter 1: Alone Tonight_

 _Negima!_

It was mid May. The temperatures were mild for this time of year; it was not uncommon to get as low as seven degrees Celcius in the early morning. Average highs were around 20 or 21 in the past, but a red-haired girl noted with a dissatisfied huff that it had rarely gotten past 15 in the last few weeks.

Living a normal life after the discovery of magic wasn't such an easy task, she was reminded almost daily. Against her will, her mind cast back to the events of when she was merely a young teen, but she quickly blocked them out. It was best not to think about it.

 _'That reminds me,'_ She thought, burying her hands in the pockets of her sweater as she walked briskly down the sidewalk, _'I haven't heard from Negi in awhile. I wonder what that brat is up to these days. I'll have to give him a call when I get back to the house.'_

It had been so long since she had seen him. They had parted ways not too long after...that event... making hollow-sounding promises to get together regularly and keep in touch.

Gazing at her shin-high tan leather boots as they dutifully trod down the sidewalk, she almost didn't hear her name being called.

"...na!"

Hesitating, the sound of bells tinkling reached her ears. Raising her head, she once again heard that too-familiar sound.

"Asuna!"

Blinking, she paused her footsteps and looked around, the bells ribboned to her ponytails tinkling in unison, seemingly mocking her confusion.

Looking around, Asuna's gaze fell on a chocolate haired girl, her long-time friend and current room-mate.

"Oi, Konoka!" Asuna replied, putting a hand on her hip and attempting to look annoyed.

"What took you so long?" The girl replied, a perpetual smile adorning her flawless, beautiful face.

Asuna shrugged, feigning indifference. "Eh, got caught up, is all."

Konoka wagged a finger at her, then reached out and pulled open the door to the cafe they were meeting at. With a smile on her face, she gestured for Asuna to go ahead of her.

Waving her thanks, Asuna entered, Konoka right behind her. Stepping up to the counter, her heterochromatic eyes glanced briefly at the menu board high above the cashier's head. It was a fleeting glance though; she knew what she wanted.

"One large black coffee, please."

"Sure! One-ninety, please."

Rummaging through her pockets for change, her search was stopped by Konoka stepping up beside her and placing a hand on her arm.

"And one extra large strawberry frappucino." Konoka added, reaching out and handing the cashier a slightly crumpled bill.

"Hey," Asuna protested lightly, running her fingers through her hair. "You paid last time!"

Konoka shrugged, stepping off to the side out of the way of the lineup forming behind them. Hand still on Asuna's arm, Konoka gently tugged Asuna over out of the way, while running her free hand through her hair, mirroring Asuna's gesture.

"Don't worry about it." Konoka gently waved off her concerns.

Asuna sighed, and was about to respond, when they were interrupted by a uniformed worker placing two drinks in front of them on the counter.

"Enjoy!" He said, before turning away to pander to the next customer in line.

Grabbing their drinks, they looked around the seating area before finding one off near the window at the far end of the store.

"That one." Asuna pointed. Konoka nodded in agreement, and they both stepped around waiting customers as they made their way to the two seater table.

Sitting down, Konoka cracked the lid on her, in Asuna's opinion, very girly drink.

"So, have you heard from Negi recently?" Konoka asked, raising the hot liquid to her lips and taking a careful sip.

Asuna shook her head as she wrapped her hands around her cup. Then she shrugged, as if indifferent to the whole situation.

"Not really, no. I mean, I get that he's busy, but..."

"Does it bother you that much, though? You keep saying you're not interested in him."

Another shrug, this time with only one shoulder.

"I'm not, really, but he's the one who showed interest in me. You think he would try a little harder, wouldn't you?"

Ever ladylike, Konoka refrained from returning a shrug of indifference. Instead, she merely raised one slender eyebrow.

"Well, it's hard to say with Negi."

"What makes you say that?"

"You, Negi, myself..." Another sip of her syrupy drink, then a pause of contentment. Pink tongue darting out to lick her lips, she continued. "We're not like the others, you know that. Especially him. What with being immortal and all, I imagine it's hard for him to really bond with people. You might have to put in a little effort on your part."

Asuna turned her head to the side, looking out the window.

"Ehhh." Waving a hand dismissively at Konoka, she shook her head.

"Not interested." She said, with an air of finality.

Konoka allowed herself to sigh exasperately. "You're twenty-seven years old. If you don't find someone to settle down with, you will never have kids, you know that?"

Asuna glanced at her from the corner of her eye.

"You know I don't want kids. And who cares? The single life isn't so bad, you know."

"Muuu, Asunaaa." Konoka pouted, widening her big brown eyes. "But you have to have kids! Konoka wants kids!"

Asuna smirked, looking down at her cup.

"Shouldn't you have thought about that before setting your sights on that clueless Shinmei-ryu swordswoman?"

Suddenly Konoka's eyes took on a faraway look, glazing over, and Asuna knew she was losing Konoka.

"Oi, Konoka, come back to Earth." Asuna said, before raising her cup and taking a sip.

There were a few moments of silence as they were each left alone with their thoughts, only the occasional tapping of cups on wooden table tops and background chatter reaching their ears.

"Where is she, anyway?" Asuna asked after a moment, curiosity getting the better of her.

Konoka seemed to perk up, a smile gracing her features as she looked up from the table top.

"I got a text from her a few days ago, letting me know that she was okay and that she landed in Seoul safely."

"Ahh, Seoul!" Asuna exclaimed. "I've always wanted to go to South Korea. That's so exciting. It's supposed to be beautiful there!"

Konoka nodded enthusiastically.

"When she returns I'm going to see if she wants to go on a vacation there."

Asuna wrinkled her nose. "Really? Back to the place she just came from? Wouldn't that be a bit redundant?"

Konoka hummed softly. "Well, I imagine vacationing there is vastly different than going there for work."

Asuna shrugged.

"I dunno, it's probably more enjoyable for her to be down there by herself, I imagine it's hard to pick up Korean girls when you've got a little brown-haired tag-along."

Konoka swiftly reached out in an attempt to punch Asuna's shoulder, but Asuna was quicker, leaning away from the strike while giggling softly.

Konoka stuck her tongue out at the red-head.

"I don't think that's what she's doing at all."

"You _hope_ that's not what she's doing." Asuna corrected.

"Mouu, Asunaaa."

Asuna laughed, leaning back in her chair until it was propped up on it's rear legs. Keeping her balance with her toes, she surveyed Konoka's dejected expression.

"I'm just kidding, you know." Asuna said. "I doubt she's out picking up Korean chicks. From what I've seen, I doubt she has a sex drive."

A faint tinge graced Konoka's cheeks at Asuna's comment, but she didn't dignify her with a response on the subject. Instead, she changed it.

"How's Ayaka doing, have you talked to her recently?"

Asuna nodded. "It's odd talking to her now that we have this big secret, you know? Trying to find normal people stuff to talk about is hard, especially since I used to tell her everything."

Konoka clucked her tongue sympathetically.

"And you don't think it would be a good idea to tell her about this?"

Asuna's eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she released her grip on her coffee and held her hands out in front of her, palms up. Closing her eyes, she summoned the magical power residing deep inside her and directed it toward her palms. Thrumming with potential magical energy, just awaiting the incantation of a spell to be released, Asuna reveled in the feeling of power.

Suddenly, Asuna felt hands on her own. Opening her eyes, Konoka was standing up, leaning over the table and pressing her hands down against Asuna's, eyes wide as she gazed in disbelief at Asuna.

"Asuna! You can't do that here!" She whispered.

Asuna looked down at her hands and realized that she could see a faint purple hue surrounding her hands. Surprised, she quickly put the magic on lockdown, watching the faint aura fade from sight.

"Weird." Asuna said, as Konoka released her and sat back down with an exasperated sigh.

"That's the first time it's been physically visible." Asuna commented, turning her hands over to examine the back of her palms.

"Maybe you need to go blow off some steam somewhere." Konoka suggested. "That's the first time I've seen you dredge up that much magical potential."

"Yeah...I really shouldn't without a strong mage watching over me." Asuna replied, letting her hands fall back to the table.

Konoka hummed. "Call Negi."

Asuna raised her gaze to the brown-haired girl. Staring at her for a second, she responded by childishly sticking her tongue out.

A giggle. "Fine, call Ayaka."

"I can't do that, she's a Muggle."

A wry grin at the ages-old reference.

"I'm sure Setsuna could help you out."

Asuna tilted her head to the side, faint clinking accompanying the movement.

"Yeah, when she gets back from Seoul, I guess."

Konoka hummed happily at the prospect, while Asuna raised an eyebrow in curiosity as a thought occured to her.

"Hey, do you ever play with yours?" She asked.

Konoka leaned back in her seat, both hands cupping her drink as she raised it to her lips. Taking a sip, she set the cup back down before picking up a white napkin to dab daintily at her lips.

"Every once in a while." She responded. "It's so strong. Overwhelming, inside of me. It's scary sometimes, and I wish Setsuna were here to help me through it. I try to keep it locked up most of the time, its terrifying."

"At least you're pretty good at silent incantation casting." Asuna said. "I cannot get a grasp on it for the life of me."

Konoka allowed herself a slow shrug. "I'm sure you'll get it eventually. You just need a mentor, the way Setsuna teaches me. You're doing well for experimenting by yourself, but you would excel faster if you had someone show you how it's all done."

Asuna rolled her eyes, then raised her cup to her lips and threw her head back, draining it. Setting it back down on the table, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I swear to God, if you say Negi, I'll break your fingers with a tiny hammer."

Konoka giggled, pulling her hands off the table to fold across her chest.

"I wasn't going to say that at all..."

Asuna 'tch'ed, turning her head to look out the window. For a few peaceful moments, there was silence on the subject.

Then...

"What is your adversion to Negi, anyway?" Konoka asked.

Asuna turned to look at her, and deflected Konoka's question with one of her own.

"What's your fascination with him? I thought you were weirdly obsessed with the sword-swinger."

Another grin and happy hum from the brown-haired girl at the mention of the Shinmei-ryu warrior.

Asuna smiled to herself at how easy it was to derail the young healer mage. As smart as she was, she often had a one track mind when it came to the sword-swinger.

"You didn't answer my question, you know." Konoka said.

 _'Damnit...'_

Not bothering to respond, Asuna turned to look out the window. Every once in a while a person would walk by, but the streets were surprisingly empty and peaceful looking.

 _'What a reminder of better days...'_

* * *

 _Snowstorms in August_

* * *

Countless stars hung in the night sky overhead, shining down with all their might in a fierce competition with the full moon. Although brilliantly lit against the inky black backdrop of the night sky, neither the moon nor the stars were a match for the incredible amount of light pollution the city of Seoul was pumping out. If one were to turn their gaze to the heavens, only a few select stars would be visible, and the moon would be naught but an ordinary sight. There was little reason to look to the heavens though, what with the vibrant night life the city held.

Sitting on the roof of a seven story tall apartment building, a raven haired girl leaned back against a concrete abuttement, and raised her gaze to the stars above. Impatiently running her fingers through her long black hair, she once again fussed with the red ribbon holding it in her long-worn side ponytail. In her lap, a cell phone waited, screen black.

The city was beautiful, she noted. She would like to eventually return here when she wasn't preoccupied with work, and spend some time looking around. Many an interesting thing had caught her gaze, but she was unable to devote all of her attention to the sights.

Hands dropping to her lap, she sighed quietly. This feeling of nervousness and longing would not leave her chest.

It was like this every time she went away, she knew. She was almost used to it. The familiar pang of desire would not be quelled until she was walking side by side once more with the girl who haunted her dreams.

Pushing those thoughts aside before she fell too deep into her own self-afflicted pit of misery, she lowered her gaze to the phone in her lap.

Still nothing.

For the third time in as many minutes her left hand sought out the sword laying by her side. Reassured that it was still there, she passed her fingertips down it's length before reaching up and absent-mindedly caressing the red ribbon in her hair.

She allowed herself a deep inhale, followed by an impatient sigh. Oh how she just longed to go home...

 _'Your mind is such a depressing place.'_ Came a gently teasing voice.

Closing her eyes, she pictured the face of the owner, a seemingly young looking man in his mid-twenties with shoulder length obviously dyed jet black hair pulled into a messy ponytail. Deep hazel eyes that could be mistaken for red in the right lighting seemed to bore right into her, a splash of freckles across the bridge of his nose indicating what color his hair naturally used to be before it's dyeing.

 _'Stop being nosy, then, Negi.'_ Was her only reply.

A soft chuckle seemed to echo through her head, before she could 'hear' his voice once more.

 _'I'm barely looking; you're broadcasting your emotions so loudly im surprised the geosynchronous satellites in orbit aren't picking it up.'_

The girl ground her flawless white teeth together, elongated canines gently digging into her bottom lip. Under the cover of her black hoodie, an irritated twitch.

 _'I fucking miss her, okay?'_

 _'Unam animam.'_ His voice was low and husky in her mind, indicating that he had stopped teasing her.

 _'Enough with the Latin.'_

 _'Heh. It means "one soul', you know.'_

Ignoring the explanation, she raised her eyes to the faint stars above.

 _'Our target is late. Is there any point to remaining here? Maybe they caught wind of us.'_

 _'Patience. We have all night.'_

Running her tongue over her sharp fangs, her mind was instantly filled with all of the things she would rather be doing.

 _'Yeah, I get that this is pretty boring, Setsuna, but getting drunk in a strange bar and pouring your heart out to the South Korean folk who don't understand a lick of your language won't get you home any faster.'_

Setsuna rolled her eyes, deep puddles of ebony that seemed to flicker like the night sky itself, almost as if a galaxy were contained in the iris that encircled the never ending blackness of her pupils. Her porcelain white skin was soft to her touch as she reached up to rub her eyes in frustration.

 _'That definitely wasn't a thought meant for your prying mind. Besides, if you came and got drunk with me, I'm sure you'd have a much better opinion of it.'_

This time she could hear uproarious laughter in her mind.

 _'Setsuna, you have the attention span of a newborn kitten sometimes. I could embarrass you to death by reciting thoughts I've heard that I'm sure weren't meant for me. You're quite the vivid day dreamer, aren't you?'_

Setsuna could feel the heat rising in the back of her neck, but seeing as she couldn't remember any specific examples of her frequent day dreaming, she decided to ignore it.

 _'Besides, you know as well as I do that I don't mix well with alcohol.'_

Setsuna snickered.

 _'You do tend to get pretty handsy with the blonde-haired girls.'_

Suddenly, a new voice cut through her mind like the sharpest of swords.

 _'Bring up that story and I'll erase the both of you from the history books.'_

The voice sent a chill down her back that no amount of snuggling into her hoodie could shake.

 _'Yes, Dangerous Queen.'_

Setsuna smiled to herself at the lilting quality of Negi's voice when addressing Evangeline.

 _'Negi, I swear I-'_

 _'Guys shut up.'_ Setsuna interrupted, as the phone in her lap suddenly lit up, vibrating softly in her lap.

 _'I've got contact.'_

Slowly Setsuna stood, sword in her left hand. Reaching high into the sky, she stretched, feeling her powerful muscles slowly come alive.

 _'I've got contact too.'_ Negi's voice in her mind.

 _'Be careful.'_ Evangeline warned. _'Although I doubt Asuna would care at the news of your death, Negi, I would probably feel just a little bit bad telling Konoka that Setsuna's body was torn to ribbons in a waterfall of blood at the hands of a mid-level mage.'_

A scoff from Negi sounded in the back of her mind. Ignoring him, she tuned them out.

Setuna inhaled deeply, and held it. Closing her eyes, she turned her face to the sky and slowly exhaled. Drawing her sword from it's sheath, she opened her eyes. Slowly, she walked toward the edge of the building. With no hesitation, she stepped up onto the ledge, turned her gaze down to the busy streets below, and threw herself off the edge.

A/N: This is an exciting project for me, and all forms of feedback and criticism are welcome. For those that are familiar with my previous stories, especially those who have read "Shatter", I hope you'll enjoy this. Please, review and let me know what you think.

Also, seeing as this walks hand in hand with it's twin fic, it would be beneficial to subscribe to an Author Alert if this story is something that has captured your interest, so that you'll be made aware of when I post the first chapter of the twin fic. Once it's posted, I'll be updating each story in the correct order as intended. Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

_Snowstorms In August_

 _Chapter 2: Reverence_

 _Negima!_

It wasn't high enough to reach terminal velocity. Not even close, she knew. Twisting her body in one smooth, cat-like motion until her feet were below her, Setsuna focused on the rapidly approaching ground as the wind rushed past her face, tearing back her hood as she gained speed. For a split second, the wind rushed through her long black hair and tickled her ears before her feet made contact with the ground. There was naught but a muffled thump as her body deccelerated to a dead stop, the magical energy coursing through her body protecting her from injury as she leaned forward and placed her hands on the ground to steady herself.

Raising her head and looking around, she ensured that no one had seen her rather risky leap from the top of the building. Deeming herself safe, she pushed herself up into a standing position, and slinked away into the shadows that lined the buildings.

 _'Where are you?'_ Setsuna thought, ears straining to make out the faintest of sounds in the night.

 _'Approaching the target.'_ Negi's voice resounded in her ear. _'I see you.'_

 _'Like hell you do.'_ Setsuna replied. Still, she pressed herself flatter to the wall as she skulked toward the building that housed their target.

 _'Halt! Target emerging.'_

Setsuna froze, and attempted to meld herself with the wall, pulling her dark hoodie over her eyes as the door to the building she was pressed up against opened. Music could be heard from the doorway, and raucous laughter. A few seconds later, the door closed halfway. It wasn't long until it swung open again fully, and a raven-haired girl stumbled out, holding her shoes in her hand.

"Heeey, come on!" The tall girl turned and shouted toward the still-open door. "Let's goooo!"

 _'Is that the target?'_ Setsuna asked. _'Seems pretty drunk, if you ask me.'_

 _'Negative.'_ Was Negi's response. _'Friendly mage, do not harm her.'_

 _'I kinda wanna go get drunk with her.'_

 _'Christ, Setsuna, fucking focus, please.'_ Came Evangeline's voice in her head. _'You can drink yourself into an alcoholic stupor when you're done your mission.'_

Setsuna smirked, a rogue fang poking over her bottom lip as she inched closer to the front door, some thirty feet away and slightly recessed and obscured by a few potted plants.

Still holding her sword in her hand, she slowly bent down and scooped up a small handful of dirt and gravel that littered the sidewalk and resided along the edge of the building.

"Sorry." She whispered, before rubbing the dirt along the length of her blade, dulling it's gleaming finish.

 _'Target is in the doorway.'_

Looking up, Setsuna's sharp eyes focused on the doorway, where another girl had appeared. This girl was slightly shorter, and decidedly chinese in ethnicity. She was wearing black sweatpants that were rolled down at the waist to reveal just the faintest teasings of a thong, and they were rolled up to mid shin, revealing her smooth, unmarred skin. She was wearing a plain white sleeveless v-neck shirt, and her shoulder length black hair shone in the ambient glow of the nearby streetlights. Slipping carefully into a pair of flip flops, she wordlessly sauntered after the obviously intoxicated girl.

"Chaou!" The tall girl said in a slurred, sing-song voice. "Let's goooo!" This time she reached out for the shorter girl, and she obliged, allowing the taller girl to sling an arm over her shoulder.

They began heading down the walk, turning when they reached the sidewalk and making a path straight for Setsuna.

 _'You're sure she's the one?'_ Setsuna asked, slowly retreating as they approached.

 _'Positive. Keep your wits about you, she's known to be quite skilled.'_

 _'Understood. I'll take first strike, you provide backup.'_

 _'On it.'_ Negi replied.

Setsuna still had no idea where Negi was or how he could see her; she couldn't sense a damn thing right now. Not Negi, and certainly not the powers of either of these two girls in front of her.

Gripping her sword tightly, she licked her lips in anticipation. When the right moment struck...

 _'Now!'_ She mentally cried, as she pushed off the wall she was hiding against. Raising her sword up high, she burst forth from the shadows, intent on skewering the target where she stood.

As she emerged from the darkness against the wall, she could see the target's eyes widen in surprise almost instantly, as if she were on guard against an attack. The drunken girl had barely registered the attack though, and only seemed surprised when the shorter chinese girl moved so swiftly to avoid the attack that it seemed she had disappeared from underneath her arm.

"Whaat the..."

Setsuna ignored the friendly mage, as she swung down her sword with all her might. Despite being caught by surprise, the chinese girl was faster, and reached up to block the overhead strike. Expecting her sword to pass right through the tender flesh of the hand of the girl reaching for her sword, Setsuna leaned into it, confident that she would slaughter this girl.

What she wasn't expecting was for her sword to clang painfully off a small piece of metal in the girl's hand, a small guard she used to deflect Setsuna's aggressive sword swing. As the vibrations rang painfully through her hands, Setsuna saw the girl swiftly back-pedal out of range of her sword.

"Chao, the hell?" The black haired girl swayed unsteadily on her feet, looking back and forth between Setsuna, and who Setsuna assumed was Chao.

"Sorry Mana, this will only take a second." The girl replied, her accent thick and slightly difficult to understand.

Setsuna grimaced, unsure how she was going to catch the swift girl. Readjusting her grip on her sword, she lunged forward again.

 _'Negi, where the hell are you?'_

 _'Waiting for the right time to strike, keep distracting her.'_

Setsuna swung her sword low, aiming for her waist, but the girl seemed to vanish from her sight before reappearing just out of range. A confident smirk was plastered on her face, working up Setsuna's ire.

"Just stay still and let me kill you." Setsuna barked in frustration, advancing toward the girl with her sword held ready.

The girl raised her arms into a familiar martial arts pose, and deftly danced out of range of Setsuna's sword, kicking off her flip flops for better stability.

"I think I will not do that." She declared. Swiftly dodging another of Setsuna's sword strikes, she swiftly darted in to close the gap and render Setsuna's sword useless. Caught by surprise, Setsuna barely had time to dodge a flurry of strikes before she realized that unless she could put some distance between them, her sword was useless.

Ducking a fist meant for her face, she tossed her sword aside before retaliating, throwing a few deft punches at the girl. All were either blocked or avoided, and Setsuna couldn't help but imagine that Negi was watching from the shadows with an arrogant smirk on his face.

 _'I am certainly not doing that.'_ He replied.

 _'In fact, I am...'_

A shape seemed to materialize from the darkness behind Chao, and as he approached the girl, all the surrounding streetlights went out, casting the street into darkness, save only for the light of the full moon.

 _'Right here.'_

Surprise and fear temporarily flitted through Chao's eyes as a pair of hands wrapped around her throat from behind, then she was pulled from the side of the street into an adjacent alley, only a few houses down from where she had emerged. Setsuna darted forward, ignoring the confused calls of the girl behind her.

Negi was like a force of nature, Setsuna thought. A strong lighting mage, it seemed like he could materialize from the shadows without hesitation, dealing out death and destruction before slipping away without a trace.

Setsuna rounded the corner of the alleyway just in time to see Negi pull the girl's back to his chest. Wrapping one hand around her mouth, he ignored her struggles as he reached up, placing his other hand on her forehead. The girl's muffled cries grew louder and her struggling increased ten-fold as she realized what was about to happen, but there was nothing she could do as power flowed through Negi's muscles, unbound. With a sharp twist, he broke her neck, immediately silencing her as she fell limp in his arms. Setsuna winced involuntarily as the hollow sound of her neck breaking reverberated off the brick walls surrounding them, shuddering at the thought of what it would be like to have your neck snapped so easily.

Negi allowed the girl to fall from his arms into a pile at his feet. Setsuna padded over to him on silent feet, looking at the now lifeless body.

"Are you sure that was the target?" She asked, speaking for the first time in days. "That was almost too easy. Thirty seconds and the target was neutralized."

Negi shrugged. "It's the target, as far as I know. You're right that it seemed too easy though, what gives?"

"Hey, what the hell?"

Setsuna spun around at the sound of another voice, and spotted the drunken girl from before standing on the sidewalk.

"Damnit. Take care of the body." Setsuna ordered, before summoning the magic flowing through her body and concentrating it in her feet. One instant movement technique later, and she was behind the startled girl. Swiftly wrapping her arms around the girl's throat, Setsuna closed her eyes as she focused on a specific spell.

"Oblitus."

Setsuna could feel the warmth in her hands as she concentrated on forcing the magic from her body into the body of the girl she held captive. Immediately she could feel the struggling girl relax, before slowly passing out unconscious.

Setsuna slowly lowered her to the ground, certain that when she woke up, her memory would be erased. The last thing she would remember would be leaving the house.

Setsuna looked up in time to see the last remnants of the body of the target dissolving into nothingness, Negi standing over the spot where she used to lay with his arms spread and eyes closed.

 _'We should leave.'_ Setsuna reverted to her preferred method of communication.

Negi was silent and motionless for a moment, then slowly his arms fell to his sides, and he opened his eyes. Turning to stare at her, he nodded.

 _'Meet you back at the hotel?'_

 _'On it.'_

Without warning, Negi disappeared, and Setsuna was left alone in the alley. Remembering her sword that she had discarded, she began padding toward it on silent feet, ears twitching sporadically at every clink or clutter she heard.

Rounding the corner, she saw her blade. Quickly she looked around to make sure the street was deserted before bending down to pick it up. Wiping the dust and dirt off it, she gathered up the sheath, and slipped the sword inside before slinging it over her shoulder.

Once again she glanced around, surprised at how deserted it seemed to be. It seemed to be highly convenient, she thought.

 _'If you're looking around for witnesses, you're going to be sorely disappointed.'_ Negi's voice sounded in her head, conversationally.

 _'I've cast a very powerful illusion spell, all vehicles and pedestrians think this area is shut down and barricaded for road maintenance. I'm about to dispel it though, so leave now if you're leaving.'_

Setsuna figured that was her cue, and without hesitation, took off jogging in the direction of their hotel.

* * *

 _Snowstorms in August_

* * *

It didn't take long to pack. Not only did they both travel light, but Setsuna was in such an anxious hurry to get home that she whipped her two extra change of clothes into her gym bag and stuffed her sword inside with such a furor that Negi couldn't help but chuckle. Ever the methodist, he carefully folded his shirts and pants into neat piles, before tucking them into his carry-on bag. Slowly and deliberately he folded the top flap, then painstakingly zipped it up as Setsuna leaned against the door frame, impatiently tapping her foot against the ground.

"No matter how swiftly we pack and get to the airport, we still have to wait for the flight." Negi reminded her, aware of her impatience even as he did not turn to look at her.

"I know, I just think you're moving deliberately slowly to piss me off." She replied, adjusting the bag slung around her shoulder.

Negi shrugged, finally straightening up and lifting the bag off the bed. Slinging it over his shoulder in a similar fashion to Setsuna's, he slowly moved toward the door.

"Okay, let's go." He said, as he drew close to her. Stopping, he reached up to tussle her hair playfully, but before he even got close, she reflexively lunged at him, teeth bared as she snapped at his hand.

Swiftly pulling away, he laughed. "I guess Konoka is the only one that can do that, eh?"

Soft, velvety ears laid flat against her skull as she turned, dismissing the seemingly young mage as she made her way down the hallway.

"Let's just get going." She said impatiently, reaching up to pull her hoodie over her head.

* * *

 _Snowstorms in August_

* * *

It was late. None of them were tired though, as they sprawled out on various pieces of furniture at Asuna's house. Konoka had been overly excited all day at the prospect of Setsuna finally coming home; Asuna herself, not that excited. They had picked the two up at the airport, and Asuna had barely exchanged two words with Negi before Konoka dominated the conversational airspace with her bubbly chatter aimed at Setsuna. Setsuna didn't seem to mind though, and gladly answered Konoka's questions in that low, silken voice of hers.

Now, Asuna raised another bottle of beer to her lips and took a sip as she eyed Setsuna on the couch across from her. The girl had taken no notice of her, as she was bashfully exchanging smiles and shy glances with Konoka, who was sharing the couch with Asuna herself. Her gaze shifted to Negi, who took this lull in conversation as an opportunity to crack open another beer before settling back onto the couch beside Setsuna. Taking a swig, he licked his lips as he constructed what he wanted to say.

"So, it's becoming increasingly obvious that mid-level and higher level mages are being targeted again in a rash of murders and disappearances."

Asuna's gaze focused on the relaxed boy as she crossed her legs in front of her. His gaze slid from Setsuna beside him, to Konoka, and finally to her, where he locked gazes with her and seemed unwilling to look away.

"It's a lot like what we've seen happen all those years ago, when you and I met." He said quietly, his words directed at Asuna.

"I would like to keep what happened then from happening again now, so I advise all of you to keep your magic under wraps and stay vigilant."

"What are the chances of being outed?" Asuna asked. "Of being found out and killed?"

Negi licked his lips slowly, deliberately, as he considered his response.

"Quite low as long as you maintain a low profile." He finally said, after a moment.

"However, when Setsuna and I aren't out on missions, we will be staying close to town to oversee your protection."

Asuna smirked, despite the now dawning seriousness of the situation. "Setsuna's idea, no doubt."

Said girl was barely paying attention to the conversation; her head was on her arm as she leaned on the edge of the couch, her half-lidded gaze focused on the brown-haired girl across from her.

Negi nodded. "Yes, her idea. I think it has merit. We should be able to protect you both from any danger that manifests itself, and we are hoping that our combined out-pouring of power overshadows that of you and Konoka, and that you slip by under the radar, unnoticed and undetected."

Asuna's gaze slid once again to Setsuna, and this time she rolled her eyes.

"You guys are ridiculous." She complained, only half serious, as Setsuna's left ear twitched faintly in response.

Konoka smiled, unable to take her eyes off the girl in front of her. Slowly, she reached over and patted the space between Asuna and herself, inviting the girl over. Heart hammering in her chest, her breathing deepened as the raven-haired girl's eyes widened at the invitation.

Beckoning her over once more, that was all it took for Setsuna to unfold herself from the couch and make her way toward the girl she adored.

Konoka threw a pleading glance at Asuna, and the red-head sighed exasperatedly. Giving in to the look, she got up and traded places with Setsuna. Raising the bottle to her lips, she downed half the bottle as she threw herself onto the couch beside Negi.

"She's rather needy, isn't she?" Asuna whispered to Negi, who chuckled softly.

"She was an absolute nightmare to work with all week." He replied quietly.

Asuna glanced back at the two across from them, and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"She really must've." Asuna clucked her tongue sympathetically.

Konoka could barely keep herself from squealing. Slowly, Setsuna curled up beside her, leaning on her shoulder as she nuzzled up to her. Reaching out, Konoka gently ran her fingers through Setsuna's hair, gently pushing back her ever-present black hoodie to reveal her adorable soft, black cat ears. They twitched freely, rotating independently of each other as Setsuna focused on all the sounds in the house; Asuna and Negi's mumbling, the sound of the refrigerator kicking on, and whatever else background noise caught her attention.

Konoka hesitated, then decided to go for it. Reaching out, she ran her fingers through Setsuna's hair, lightly dragging her fingertips across Setsuna's head, tantalizingly close to her ears. Immediately, a deep bass-like rumble emanated from the girl that was pushed up against her, and Konoka was caught off guard when Setsuna reached out, grabbing the hem of Konoka's shirt and pulling herself closer to the girl. Konoka giggled when the girl roughly nuzzled into her, and she responded by gently continuing her ministrations, fingertips stroking and scratching at Setsuna's head.

It wasn't long before Setsuna was asleep. Konoka continued stroking Setsuna's head, petting her softly as Setsuna's ears slowly relaxed against her head. Leaning her head back against the couch, Konoka felt waves of exhaustion finally pass over her as all the excitement and anticipation of the day took it's toll on her. Closing her eyes, she reveled in the warmth of Setsuna pressed up against her, the ever-present thrumming emanating from the girl with each breath signifying her satisfaction with Konoka's touch.

In no time at all, they were both asleep.

"Well isn't that cute." Asuna commented dryly, as Negi chuckled softly beside her.

"It seems that I won't hear any more complaining from Setsuna for a while." He replied.

Asuna stuck her tongue out. "Now I have to put up with them making puppy faces at each other all the damn time."

Negi shrugged, sliding further down the couch and folding his arms over his chest.

"Right now, though, I think they have the right idea." He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply before sighing and snuggling deeper into the couch.

Asuna stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head. Getting up, she drained her beer before setting the bottle down on the counter. Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed before moving toward the linen closet in the hallway. Grabbing a couple blankets, she returned to the living room. Carefully unfolding one, she shook it out before draping it over the two girls cuddling on the couch. Tucking the edges under Setsuna's feet, she smiled at the look of contentment on Konoka's face before turning to face Negi.

Unfolding the second blanket, she carelessly tossed it over the boy who laid uninvited on her couch, before turning on her heel and heading for her bedroom. Stopping at the light switch at the end of the hallway, she glanced one last time over her shoulder at Negi.

"G'night." She said softly, before passing a hand over the light switch.

With soft footsteps, she retreated to her bedroom, closing the door with a quiet click.

* * *

A/N: Neat, second chapter. Let me know what you think! The second chapter of Chasing Snowstorms should be up as well before the weekend is up. Thank you all who took the time to review, it's greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

_Snowstorms in August_

 _Chapter 3: The Gathering_

 _Negima!_

It was a quiet murmuring that awoke her. It was indistinct, and hard to make out, but it was enough to pull her from her slumber. Nearly drowning out the murmuring was a steady thumping resounding in her ears, and rhythmic, slow breathing, in and out, over and over.

Inhaling deeply, Setsuna slowly awakened, becoming more aware of her surroundings with each passing second. She was sprawled out on her stomach on top of Konoka, who was quite warm and comfortable. There was a blanket draped over her, up to her shoulders, and her head was resting on Konoka's chest.

Konoka's breathing and heartbeat. That's what she was hearing, she realized, as her ears twitched gently in response. Eyes closed, she slowly became more aware of her body. Her arms were gripping Konoka tightly on either side of her torso, and she was draped between Konoka's legs. Konoka herself had her arms wrapped around Setsuna's waist, and Setsuna became suddenly and painfully aware of how close Konoka's hands were to the base of her spine, fingertips tracing lazy circles on her skin, playing with her back dimples.

How close her hands were to her very sensitive tail.

Said tail twitched, flicking back and forth for a moment beneath the blanket. Beneath her, Konoka giggled softly.

Raising her head and opening her eyes, she stifled a yawn as she looked up at Konoka. Konoka, whose head was turned sideways as she stared at the television, slowly turned upon feeling movement, and now smiled down at Setsuna.

"Sleep well?" Konoka asked quietly.

Setsuna could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks, and she blinked.

"Uhh...yeah." She said quietly, as she turned her head to the side and laid back down on Konoka's chest. "Yeah I did."

Konoka hummed softly, reaching up to stroke Setsuna's hair softly.

"I'm glad."

Almost against her will, Setsuna's tail twitched more quickly, and Setsuna had to close her eyes to will herself to calm down. It was difficult to do so, as Konoka overloaded her with stimulation, one hand stroking her hair and the other still toying with her soft skin. Setsuna didn't miss how each seemingly random doodle brought Konoka's fingertips ever closer to the base of her tail, a part of her no one had touched before without threat of dismemberment.

Embarrassment flooding through her as a tingly feeling flashed through her stomach, Setsuna opened her eyes and slowly nuzzled into Konoka's chest. Konoka giggled at the reaction, and responded by moving both hands to Setsuna's shoulders, squeezing her tightly and pulling her closer. Setsuna tightened her own grip on Konoka's shirt, and didn't miss the sound of Konoka's heartbeat speeding up.

"Well, are you two finally awake, or what?"

Asuna's rough voice cut through the air, interrupting whatever thoughts the young girls may have been thinking.

Setsuna felt Konoka twitch slightly beneath her, before the chocolate-haired girl released her grip on Setsuna. Reaching up, Konoka stretched languidly before allowing her arms to fall back lazily around Setsuna, although this time above the blanket that covered them.

"Yeah, barely." Konoka replied.

Embarrassment and situational discomfort finally overrode Setsuna's desire, and she grudgingly pulled away from Konoka, sitting up beside her and rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, we're awake." Setsuna said softly, her voice low and husky.

"You two behave yourselves last night?"

This time it was Negi's voice that reached their ears, as the handsome young mage entered the living room carrying a glass of milk.

"Negi!" Asuna growled, turning on him with a raised eyebrow as warning.

Konoka leaned back against the arm of the couch and folded her arms across her eyes, feigning sleepiness.

"Yes, Negi, we behaved." She groaned, as beside her, a deep blush took over Setsuna's cheeks as she dropped her head, suddenly finding something very interesting to look at on the floor.

"Hunh." Negi made a sound as he raised his glass to his lips and took a sip. "That doesn't sound like much fun."

"Ugh, settle down." Asuna replied, empathetic embarrassment causing a heat to rise in her cheeks, warming the back of her neck.

Negi grinned cheekily, before taking another sip. Shifting his gaze to Asuna, he caught her glaring heatedly at him, as if daring him to say another word.

"So what are you guys doing today?" He asked conversationally.

Konoka shrugged lazily. "I'm not sure." She replied, slowly sitting up and focusing her gaze on the obviously distressed cat-girl beside her. "I think Setsuna and I are doing something today though."

Negi hummed softly, before turning his gaze to a now-irate Asuna.

"I guess it's just you and me today then, huh?"

It took all of Asuna's willpower not to slap the arrogant grin off his face. Gritting her teeth together, she shook her head.

"No, it is not just 'you and me'." She replied. "You are you and I am doing whatever the hell I want today."

With that, she turned and moved toward the kitchen, running her fingers through her hair as she sighed in exasperation.

Konoka watched her leave, before sliding her gaze to Negi, who was watching her walk away with a sly grin on his face.

"What is that look for?" Konoka asked curiously.

Negi let the grin fall from his face as he turned toward Konoka. "Oh, no reason." He said.

"It seems that Asuna has no interest in keeping me company today." He said. "I guess I'll just have to keep myself busy today."

Slowly, Konoka threw back the blankets and swung her legs over. Placing her feet on the floor, she sighed softly for a moment before pushing herself to her feet.

"I'm sure you'll find something to entertain you, Negi." Konoka replied as she patted him on the shoulder. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my shower is calling."

Setsuna didn't realize that her gaze was glued to Konoka's backside until the girl was out of sight and Negi's soft chuckling reached her ears. Shaking her head to snap herself out of her reverie, she stood. Reaching above her head, she stretched, tail swishing back and forth as her ears took in the sound of Asuna fumbling around in the kitchen.

"You must be in a better mood, finally back home with Konoka like you've been whining about the last few weeks."

Setsuna didn't bother to grace him with an answer as she pulled her shirt back down from where it had ridden up. Casting a disapproving look in his direction, she began padding toward the kitchen on silent feet, hunger driving her forward.

"I would say that you're more mature than to give me the silent treatment, but you know I don't like lying.' Negi teased, following behind her into the kitchen.

Setsuna rolled her eyes as she reached up to run her fingers through her hair. Around her wrist was an elastic band, and she used that to secure her hair into a high ponytail.

"How's your dear Evangeline these days?" Setsuna finally responded, as she automatically began assisting Asuna with the breakfast preparations.

Negi slid into a seat at the table, and let his gaze wander appreciatively over the backside of Asuna as her hips swayed teasingly in front of him.

"She's been quite withdrawn since that fateful night at the bar." Negi replied. "Although, to be fair, I'm just glad I made it out with my life and manhood intact."

Setsuna grinned, a fang poking out over her bottom lip as she reached up into the top shelf to withdraw a flat saucepan.

"Must've been pretty good if she let you live afterward. Isn't she like a preying mantis? Doesn't she usually bite the heads off of her lover after she's done with them?"

Negi burst into laughter, leaning back in his chair and running his fingers through his hair.

"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that." He replied. "But there was a fair amount of biting going on, if you know what-"

"Ohhh-kaaaay, time to change the subject!" Asuna exclaimed, reaching out and flicking on the stove top burner. "New Asuna household rule- and I can't believe this has to be stated- no talk of sex at the breakfast table!"

Setsuna grinned wryly, scooping a chunk of butter into her pan and dropping it onto the stove with a clang.

"Did she mention it at all the next day, or...?" Setsuna was interrupted by an authorative knock coming from the front door, and she paused, looking at Asuna quizzically.

"Were you expecting someone else...?" Setsuna asked.

Asuna's brow furrowed in confusion, a spoonful of peanut butter glued to her tongue.

"Uhh...unn fink sho." She mumbled. Moving away from the stove, she walked around the table and down the hallway past the living room toward the front door.

Negi reclined in his seat, pushing it up on it's back legs and balancing there as he peered down the hallway at Asuna's form.

"If she catches you staring, you're gonna get a broken nose." Setsuna warned, ears twitching at the sound of his chair legs returning to the floor.

"I like a girl that can throw down." He declared.

"As evidenced by your one night stand with Evangeline." Setsuna replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"What with me?" Came a low, sultry silky voice. The owner of the voice stepped into the kitchen, Asuna behind her with a confused look on her face.

Setsuna turned, and saw Evangeline standing there, arms crossed over her voluptuous chest. Her long blonde hair fell in silken sheets down her back, and her icy gaze was trained on Negi, who was looking at her with a mixture of wary caution and excitement.

"Uhhh...nothing. Nothing. Looking good, Eva." Negi replied, taking a moment to study her.

She was clad in a white button shirt, the first and last two of which were left undone. Her bosom strained at the white fabric, and a black lace bra was easily visible through the thin fabric if one wanted to risk staring long enough. Her skin was flawless and almost icy in it's appearance, so brilliantly white and with a strangely clear quality to it. If she turned her palms up, you could see the delicate blue veins snaking through her wrists.

Her wide hips and long legs were accented by a pair of immaculate black dress pants, although the strict business sense she had around her was diminished somewhat by the fact that her shirt wasn't tucked in. Instead, it draped loosely around her hips, lending an air of informality to her appearance.

Upon examination, her long blonde hair was only long on the left side of her face. Messy bangs teased her nose and danced in front of her eyes, and the right side of her head was shaved down to smooth, crystalline skin. Her right ear had an industrial piercing through it, with a shiny silver bar catching the light as she moved. Behind her ear was a small tattoo, a symbol Negi couldn't decipher even as he remembered running his hot tongue over it as he whispered in her ear.

Her sharp eyes caught all movement, and winged eyeliner appeared to be her only makeup. Her eye color seemed to shift dramatically based on mood and environment stimuli, and right now they were a brilliant blue.

Moving over to the table, she pulled out a chair and let herself fall gracefully into it, arm draped over the back of the chair in a nonchalant manner.

"When I heard you all were having a little breakfast get together to celebrate taking down that baddie the other night, I figured I would drop in on the festivities." She said, her voice soft and mesmerizing.

Setsuna raised an eyebrow, turning back to the pan on the stove. Seeing the butter sizzling, she tilted a bowl up to it and poured in a small amount of pancake batter.

"You should have been here last night as well, we would have enjoyed your company." She said.

Negi laughed as Konoka entered the kitchen behind him, hair damp from the shower.

"Enjoyed her company?" Negi asked. "Setsuna, you were so deep into Konoka's gaze that you wouldn't have noticed if Eva showed up and burned the place to the ground."

Setsuna kept her back to the two at the table as a faint blush rose to her cheeks.

"Whatever." She mumbled.

"EVA!" Konoka cried, realizing who it was that was sitting at the table. Pushing around Negi, she reached out and threw her arms around the sulty blonde, giving her a large hug.

"It's been a while since you've come around, what kept you away so long this time?" Konoka asked as she released the older girl. Eva smiled faintly as she patted Konoka on the back before folding her arms across her chest again.

"Nothing in particular, really. A girl is busy, you know."

"Well, make sure you make time for your friends here." Konoka wagged a finger at Evangeline sternly.

Asuna snickered as she flipped strips of bacon in her pan. "'Friends' is a strong word for what Evangeline has. She shows up here, ignores me and eats all my food, casts curious glances at Setsuna all the time, toys with Negi, and really, the only one she has any patience for is you, Konoka."

Konoka giggled as she moved to the other side of the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"Well, we're all a bit dysfunctional in our own way." She replied.

Negi scoffed lightly. "Just a bit."

Turning to Evangeline, he raised an eyebrow.

"So, any news? Is it getting worse?"

Eva nodded slowly, reaching up and slowly pushing her bangs out of her eyes. Her brilliant blue eyes seemed to grow cold for a moment.

"Yeah, I have quite the story to tell you over breakfast."

Author's Note: Not a ton of plot development here, but I did set the stage for something just as, if not more, important: sweet sweet Kono-Setsu. Needed my fix, man. Reviews and comments are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!


End file.
